The Interactive Window is a back projected web-cam based system that can essentially turn any glass window (of any size) into a touch screen interface. This is a “non-contact interactive display” designed to be operated by intuitive human hand gesture. Gestures of press, push, scale and rotate are all programmable interactions of this technology. The system has the potential to be multi-touch (two handed gestures simultaneously recognized) and initial attempts at doing this have been successful.

Similar technologies are extremely expensive, have their own closed operating system and require multiple cameras. This platform is based on open source culture and is developed with Adobe Flash 3.0 development application – a widely available and popular development software, making the technology accessible to most (non-programming) designers and content developers. Additionally, this technology is based on projected light, so it easily scaleable and customizable in its size and proportions. Set up cost is extremely inexpensive by comparison, and thus, potentially very popular to the general public.

This updated “Interactive Mirror” presents a lower cost of entry into the interactive space and leverages open-source hardware/software to allow non-programmers and designers to develop digital spaces. We are not so much concerned with pixel-point precision and touch/pressure sensitivity… We are more interested in non-contact, gesture based interactive systems for information displays and exhibits that are easy to implement and open to designers.